A known conventional range switching device switches a range of an automatic transmission by driving an actuator in response to a shifting operation by a driver (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for learning a control target position of each range. In this technique, in a state positioned by a detent mechanism, a target angle in a current range is learned based on an angle of a range switching shaft (angle of a bottom position) detected by a potentiometer.
Patent Document 2 describes a shift control system for correcting an output value of an encoder to an absolute position by bringing a detent plate and a roller of a detent spring into contact with each other, detecting a contact position thereof, and learning a limit position (wall position) of an operation range as a reference value. In Patent Document 2, feedback control is performed by using a deviation between a current position of an output shaft angle and a target position.